These are excellent diagrams. Here they are:
Superior Recess of the Omental Bursa
Fig. 162.1 - Liver Surfaces & Peritoneal Recesses (Fischer's Mastery of Surgery)
Panel C is the key view - posterior view of the liver showing the caudate lobe (highlighted in blue) which projects into the superior recess. The left triangular ligament forms the upper boundary of the superior recess, and the inferior vena cava lies to its right.
Fig. 162.2A - Sagittal Section showing the Superior Recess (Fischer's Mastery of Surgery)
This is the most informative diagram for the superior recess. In Panel A (midsagittal section), the superior recess of the omental bursa is clearly labelled (top right, shown in blue), positioned:
- Posteriorly behind the liver (above the caudate lobe)
- Anteriorly bounded by the lesser omentum
- Above the omental (epiploic) foramen
- Behind the descending aorta and in front of the caudate lobe
The entire omental bursa (lesser sac) is shown in blue, with the superior recess extending upward toward the diaphragm/esophagus, clearly distinguished from the inferior recess (lower left, also labelled).
Key Points - Superior Recess
| Feature | Detail |
|---|
| Position | Behind left lobe of liver, above caudate lobe |
| Upper boundary | Left triangular ligament |
| Right boundary | IVC (ligament of inferior vena cava) |
| Contents | Surrounds/wraps around the caudate lobe |
| Communication | Opens into vestibule via the gastropancreatic fold region |
| Surgical note | Accessible by dividing the left triangular ligament |
The superior recess is smaller than the inferior recess and is separated from it by the peritoneal fold over the left gastric artery (gastropancreatic fold).
Source: Fischer's Mastery of Surgery 8th ed., Figs. 162.1 & 162.2